1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collecting bag for human body wastes comprising a bag member formed by two film blanks with joined edges defining the outer contours of the bag member, an inlet opening provided in one of said film blanks, connecting elements surrounding said inlet opening for connection of the bag to a body orifice, a discharge portion at a distance from the inlet opening comprising a discharge opening, a closure device at the discharge portion for bringing the bag from a discharge position, in which the bag is open, to a position of use, in which the bag is closed, and accommodating means for accommodating said closure device in the position of use of the bag.
2. Description of the Related Art
In such collecting bags the discharge portion is normally temporarily attached to the bag member in the position of use of the bag in order to attain a compact appearance in this position and to prevent the discharge portion and the closure device from dangling which might be uncomfortable to the user. In bags having an elongated, substantially flat discharge portion, this portion is folded or rolled up in the direction of the bag member, partly in order to close the bag and partly to attain said compact appearance and the attachment to the bag member.
WO96/19164 discloses a collecting bag of this kind in which the discharge portion is rolled up on a clip fastened to one of the film blanks.
GB patent applications Nos. 2 268 065 and 2 000 683 disclose collecting bags, in which strips of the interlocking-elements type, such as Velcro, are placed on each of the film blanks of the discharge portion and which after rolling or folding the discharge portion tightly are brought into contact with each other.
In EP patent application No. 13 109 the folded discharge portion is tucked into a gap provided between a strip fixed to one wall of the bag and the wall itself.
In all of the above documents it is a prerequisite that the discharge portion is substantially flat. In collecting bags having a closure device of some extent, eg. a valve or a clamp, these solutions may not be applied.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,520,831 discloses a collecting bag in which the folded discharge portion, which is closed by means of a clamp, is accommodated in a pouch provided at the proximal end of the discharge portion in the position of use of the bag, in which the pouch is closed by means of a zipper-like slide fastener. Due to the structure of the elements of the closure device, opening and closing of the bag require some dexterity, eg. the discharge portion has to be held manually within the pouch when activating the slide fastener and has to be withdrawn from the pouch in order to empty the bag. In addition, the use of a slide fastener renders the manufacture of the collecting bag expensive and cumbersome.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,797 discloses a cover for an ostomy pouch having a drain fitting at the bottom of the pouch. The cover has an opening allowing the pouch to be mounted in the usual manner on the plate worn by the patient. The cover has an integral pocket which receives the drain fitting to prevent irritation to the sensitive portions of the anatomy.
This solution, however, while preventing the drain fitting from directly contacting sensitive portions of the anatomy, contributes to the bulkiness of the pouch, thereby compromising the demand for discretion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,971 discloses a collecting bag of the initially stated kind, in which the accommodating means in the form of a pocket having an entrance slit is formed on an extension of the bag member. Similar arrangements are shown in e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos 3,865,165 and 4,306,029.